ENCOURAGED by the success of the India-Africa Health Summit last year, two more health summits  with Latin American countries and CIS nations  are being planned, as part of India-Chem 2002 scheduled later this year.

As domestic pharma companies look to tap markets beyond Indian shores, health summits help in facilitating interaction between company representatives and regulatory authorities from other countries, observed Mr Krishan Kalra, Additional General-Secretary, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

FICCI, the organiser of India-Chem 2002, is looking to put the India-Latin America Health Summit and India-CIS Health Summit, under the umbrella of the overall conference. But the health summits, in particular, would be jointly organised by the Union Ministry of Commerce, as was the case with the India-Africa Health Summit, held in Mumbai, early last year.

The Mumbai summit had seen 60 delegates, including Ministers, health and drug regulatory authorities interacting with delegates from the Indian pharma industry.

"The health summit creates an interactive platform with regulatory authorities of different countries and the industry is able to discuss the smoothening of the regulatory system for Indian companies to boost exports in these sectors."

Throwing light on the opportunities that open up in these two regions for domestic pharma companies, the organisers said that Latin America was a $30-billion market, while CIS was a $1.5-billion market.

India Chem 2002, scheduled between September 18 and 21, 2002, is expected to see good representation from Europe, even as the US (last year's partner country) returns as this year's guest country.

Besides this, the event is expected to see participation from the big daddies of the pharma industry, with the Bayers, Pfizers, GlaxoSmithklines and Bristol-Myers Squibbs of the world sending representation to the event.

The domestic drug majors, such as Ranbaxy and Dr Reddy, for example, are also listed to send their top brass to the four-day conclave.